No Vacancy
by MarieJohnson123
Summary: Chaos continues at the Bates Motel. Norman is getting worse and seeing Mother more and more, things heat up between Norma and Alex, Emma goes through some major life changes, and Dylan tries to cope with his identity.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Norman sat at his desk watching his fellow classmates receive their Geometry exams back from their teacher, Mrs. Brady. His heart started to beat as he saw her sit back down at her desk. Where was his exam? He wondered silently watching the teacher. Before he could call her on anything, the school bell rang, and everyone was out of their seats blowing off the typical "Have a good day. Your homework is on page 8".

Taking a deep breath and remaining calm, Norman stood, gathering his books. He walked to Mrs. Brady's desk with that same kind, calm smile. The kind of smile he wore that convinced those around him that he was a good boy, someone who wouldn't dare hurt a fly. The teacher's head cocked up and she returned the smile.

"Good afternoon, Norman. What can I do for you? Is something wrong?" she questioned, putting her glasses on top of her head, and placing her grading pen down amongst the various quizzes she had to check.

"Oh no, Mrs. Brady, nothing at all. I was just wondering where my exam was?".

She nodded with a forbidding smile but made no movement to get his test. "Yes, we should probably talk about your recent grade. I didn't hand yours back because I figured you wouldn't want to see it. To be completely honest, Norman, I looked at your record and you've never scored this low on anything. Is there something wrong?".

Norman was quick to shake his head, not one to cause worry. "No, everything is fine. I must have not studied the material hard enough, you know? I've been looking at a lot of colleges recently and stressing out over the whole application process".

"Totally understood, Norman. I trust that this is a rare situation, you're a very good student. If you need any help with the applications and college hunting we have plenty of great guidance counselors that are always available to meet with you. I can give you Ms. Randolph's e-mail, she's very good at dealing with the senior class and their college dilemmas" she offered.

He shook his head with that same polite smile. "That won't be necessary, Mrs. Brady. I'm sure I can just stop by her office during lunch block. Thank you for the offer, though".

"It's no trouble at all. Just please try and study harder next time around. I'd really hate to see your GPA drop solely because of this class. We have a quiz next week on the application of the Pythagorean Theorem, I know you can ace it if you really try" she said with a kind smile.

Norman nodded and started to head out of the room. "I'll make sure that I look it over my notes more carefully. Thank you for talking to me, Mrs. Brady".

**XXX**

It was midday and extremely busy at the Bates Motel. Norma was practically up to her ears in reservations, check outs, and worst of all, cleaning up the rooms. There she stood in Room 4, shaking her head at the disgusting way the room had been left. There were beer bottles strewn from the bed to the side tables and the bathroom reeked of vomit. She put the cleaning spree on hold when she heard her cell phone chime in her maid uniform pocket.

Snapping off her yellow rubber gloves, she pressed answer. "Hello?".

"Hey Norma, it's Emma".

Norma automatically smiled, she loved that girl with all her heart, practically accepting her as a daughter. "Hello honey. What's up?" she asked appearing casual and laid back, she found that Emma could loosen up around her more that way.

"I was just wondering if I could have the night shift off? It's my 18th birthday and Norman wanted to take me out. We were just planning on grabbing a bite to eat and seeing a movie if it wasn't too late" she explained.

"Oh, I had no idea! Happy Birthday, dear" she said, pushing her maid cart towards the bed, as she leaned over to pick up a few empty bottles from the rug. "You know what? Why don't you just come over to the house tonight? I'll make dinner and invite Dylan over. You can bring your dad and we'll all celebrate you".

Emma was completely giddy over the phone, she tried her hardest not to let it show too much. "Wow, that would be amazing, Norma. I really can't thank you enough for the offer, that's one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me on my birthday".

"It's me and my family's pleasure, Emma. You're practically a part of our family as it is. Your a great friend to my son and you work so hard here at the motel, you deserve something nice done for you, especially today. Why don't you come over around 7:30?".

"Okay", she agreed cheerfully, her cheeks reddening with excitement and appreciation. "I guess I'll see you all then".

"Sounds like a great plan. Bye, Emma".

"Bye".

With that, Norma began the strenuous task of cleaning up after the pigs that stayed in Room 4. She felt her head began to split open at the thought of having eight more rooms to clean. Silently, thoughts of more disgusting finds began to cloud her mind. She snapped out of it when she heard a voice calling her name.

"Norma? Are you there?".

She pulled her gloves off, leaving them on the bed. She walked outside and turned her head to the right to see Alex standing by the front office looking confused. Without a word, she paced closer to him and smiled.

"I'm right here. Sorry, I was in Room 4 doing some cleaning. What do you need?" she asked being her usual attentive self. She dropped her hands in the outfit pockets and stared at him.

Alex turned to face her with that same thin lipped and stoic demeanor that, for reasons unbenounced to her, Norma found incredibly attractive, she had a thing for men that were dark and mysterious. "Yeah, I was just wondering if you had any boxes laying around that I could use?" he asked, keeping his voice neutral.

She raised an eyebrow and gave him a look of confusion. "Boxes? What kind of boxes are you looking for? Shoe boxes, gift boxes?".

He shook his head at all of her guesses. "I need something a bit bigger. Like moving boxes" he said, already regretting his decision to ask.

Alex knew damn well that getting Norma involved in something, especially his life, would be tumultuous. The woman was unstable, domineering, manipulative, and worst of all, incredibly beautiful. Despite his hardened demeanor towards her, he found her utterly intoxicating, something he knew would be dangerous to both him and his career. He had seen what happened to Shelby when he got involved with her, the man ended up dead within two months of screwing her. He could just see the headlines now, "Local Sheriff Taken Down By Local Motel Owner".

She grew even more bewildered by his request. "Moving boxes? Well...yeah, sure, I have some in the attic from when Norman and I got here. Why do you need them?".

Inside, he rolled his eyes, her intrusive trait was exactly what he had expected. He really wished he could go back and just ask someone else for some boxes. "I'm leaving the motel" he sighed, awaiting her reaction.

Norma wasn't sure what to say, she was a completely taken back at his announcement. It wasn't necessarily his presence she craved but his protection. Who was she going to run to when she got into the typical deep shit, high tension situations that surrounded her? "Oh…" she began, already feeling speechless. "Did your house get restored that fast or did you find somewhere else to live?".

He shook his head and broke eye contact, looking out into the main road. "No, Norma. Nothing like that".

"Well, what then? Where are you going?" she asked, starting to get desperate. She certainly couldn't handle legal issues and ramifications herself. Norma became totally dependant on Alex over the past three years, he was like a saving grace to she and Norman. He took care of her and in return she trusted him with her life. It was a big deal because trust didn't sit well with Norma, she had major issues with it ever since she was a young girl.

He continued to get angrier at her, it was as if the only way to get his point across to her was to act like a complete asshole. "To be completely honest with you, Norma, it's none of your business".

She gave him a nasty look and pulled back from him in distaste. "Excuse me? Your the one who spent five months living out of my motel, I think I deserve a little explanation here".

"Look, it's getting too expensive to stay here so I'm just moving in with someone" he answered, hoping that would be the end of their conversation.

Silently, Norma began to get a little jealous. Was he moving in with a woman, maybe a girlfriend? That thought really drove her wild, though he wasn't hers, she wished he was. All the protection she could ask for plus companionship. "You don't really have to move out, you know. I could always let you stay here for free? I owe you anyway considering all the shit you've taken care". In that moment, she would've done anything to make him stay.

Alex was a little shocked at her question. How desperate was she going to get? Did she really want him there that bad? "No, I would never let you do that. Plus it's getting a little weird, y'know, the Sheriff of White Pine Bay living out of a motel room, it's just not professional".

She sighed, realizing she couldn't change his mind. In the years she'd known him, she came to realize that he was extremely set in his ways, once he made a decision there was no going back. "Yeah, yeah, I guess I understand what you mean. Who are you moving in with, anyway?".

"My mother, okay? She offered me a place to go and I wasn't going to refuse it because of my tight budget. Plus she lives about five minutes from the station so that would be incredibly convenient for work" he explained, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

Norma dropped everything and tried to stifle her laughter. "Your mother?".

He rolled his eyes and openly gave her a rude glare. "Yes, my mother. It's better than having to pay $115 a week to stay here. Now can you please just give me those boxes?".

She nodded. "Sure, I'll bring a few of them to your room in about 15 minutes".

"Thanks" he mumbled, walking back to his room.

**XXX**

Norman was lucky enough to catch the school bus once the bell rang. He was dreading telling his mother about his foul grade. It was obvious that he didn't like disappointing her, especially because she expected the most out of him. Once the bus stopped at his house he grimaced, but soon enough a thought came to him. What if he didn't tell her? It's not something he normally did, keeping secrets from his mother, but this time he was totally willing to do so.

As he stepped off the bus, he made sure Norma was in the front office before heading straight up to the house. When he made it to the bedroom, he tossed his backpack on the floor and sat on the bed, already feeling guilty. He put his head in a pair of open hands and rubbed his temples, it wasn't long before he felt a hand rubbing at his back.

When he peered to his side, she was there. Mother sat right beside him, that beautiful smile gracing her pouty lips, she was wearing his favorite outfit too, the pastel floral dress and headwrap. She raked her fingernails into his hair, attempting to comfort him.

He gave her a warm smile and took her hand in his, excited to see her. "Mother" he said simply out of adoration for the woman before him.

"Norman, honey, what's wrong? You seemed upset, so I had to see what was going on?".

His hands started to sweat and his heart was palpitating. "Well Mother, I got a really awful grade on a test because I couldn't concentrate on the material" he admitted, while keeping his head down in shame.

"I understand the grade, Norman. But why couldn't you concentrate?"

"You see, Mother, there's a new guest in Room 1. She's really beautiful, I checked her in two nights ago and since then I haven't been able to forget about her. She seemed so friendly and open. I couldn't study the other night because she was on my mind the entire time" he explained, the woman's face clouding his mind automatically, lifting his spirits.

Mother sighed and shook her head, clicking her tongue. "No, no, Norman. She is not a friendly girl. None of them are friendly girls, we've been through this before, haven't we? Don't you remember Blair Watson?".

Norman could feel the eerie shivers run up and down his spine at the mention of Miss Watson's name. That woman scared him in the worst way possible, he had fallen for his young, hot teacher and the results were still haunting him. He had no intention of going back there. "Yes, Mother. I remember her, I can never forget about her".

Mother nodded self righteously. "You know what you have to do, don't you Norman?".

"Yes, of course I do, Mother".

"Good boy. Don't worry, after this, she won't be such a distraction to you anymore. It'll all be okay".

Mother moved over and dropped a quick kiss on his mouth, running a hand up to touch his cheek as gently as she could.

"I'm the only woman you need, anyway".

Norman nodded and stared out the window, goosebumps coating his skin from her kiss and soft touch. "I know, Mother" he cooed. When the boy turned to face her, Mother had dispersed.

He was left to himself, the memory of her being all he had for the moment.

**XXX**

It was later that night when Dylan finally got off work. Remo ordered him to close up the warehouse early and get out of there as soon as possible. He had been warned that a boatload of dangerous drug lords from White Pine Bay and some other towns over liked to hang around the warehouse after everyone went home, most trying to break in and steal some of their stash to sell for a cheaper price.

Despite Dylan's urge to stay after dark and use his regulated gun on anyone that tried to break in, his conscious interfered, and finally he realized it would be wise to just go home. Ever since Jodi died, Dylan had been forced to move out of her home and go back to his mothers. If he was being honest, it wasn't that bad living with Norma, since they had apologized for the way they treated one another, their relationship improved greatly. Plus the food was great. Sure, she could still be a major pain in the ass and he wasn't crazy about her treatment of Norman, but she was still his mother and he loved her.

As the sun began to fall, Dylan had pulled up at the motel and got out of his truck. He had texted Norma fifteen minutes before hand to tell her he was coming home but never received a response, causing him to worry. He sighed and prepared himself for anything as he jogged up the steps to the home. Once he entered, his anxiety level flew down as he saw Norma standing in the kitchen.

He peeled his jacket off and hung it up, pacing into the kitchen with a small smile. "Hey, Norma" he greeted, watching her mix some ingredients in a bowl.

She poked her head up, still continuing to stir. "Hi, honey. How was work?".

Silently, he made his way to the fridge and grabbed a beer. "Pretty uneventful, there wasn't much going on today. I was asked to lock up, that was pretty exciting" he joked, cracking the beer open. "Are you making dinner? It's still pretty early".

"No, actually. I'm making Emma a cake for her birthday. She's going to come over tonight and celebrate" she explained, glancing down to check her watch with a struggled sigh. "Would you mind doing me a favor?".

He nodded, taking a sip of his beer, and dropping it on the table. "Sure. What do you need?".

"Would you mind going down to the motel, grabbing the broom out of the office, and sweeping the porch? I just don't have time to get to it. I still have to start on dinner and fold the laundry".

"You got it, Norma" he said simply, moving out of the kitchen.

When Dylan made it to the motel porch, broom in hand, he started sweeping. Suddenly, a pair of bright headlights blinded him, and he dropped the broom against the porch wall. Once he regained his vision, all he could make out was an old, battered, white truck. He assumed it was a guest about to check in and shrugged it off.

The man in the truck stepped out, but he had no luggage, nothing to stay overnight with. Dylan stepped a little closer to try and get a good look at him, he almost looked a little familiar. As a matter of fact, he looked extremely familiar, it was like they'd met before.

Dylan grew anxious as the stranger stepped closer, looking all around him like he was lost.

"Excuse me?" he called out, looking straight at Dylan.

"Yeah, what can I do for you?" he asked back, still trying to figure out his identity.

The man glanced around again, this time his eyes shot up at the Bates home, then to the motel, and finally on the office. "I'm looking for Norma Calhoun" he said with a small sigh, almost as if saying her name pained him.

Dylan pulled back, he was puzzled. This man must've known Norma from a while ago, no one had ever used her maiden name. Everyone he knew referred to her as Norma Bates. Despite the confusion, he nodded. "Yeah, it's actually Norma Bates now, she's up in the house. I can get her for you though…" he offered, already turning towards the house.

"Wait a second…" the man said, taking him by the arm and pulling him back. "Dylan?" he asked, astonished as he looked into his face. He looked at Dylan like he had three heads.

"Yeah, that's me. Who are you?" he asked, tugging his arm back, a bit creeped out by the man's hold on him.

The man shook his head and scoffed. "Of course Norma doesn't keep you updated" he huffed, pausing to look at Dylan's face, "Dylan, it's me...I'm your father".

All of a sudden it hit him. John. His father, well not his real father, was standing in front of him. After fifteen years of being apart, he finally decided to show up. But why now? Was it possible that he had been feeling guilty about abandoning him so young and wanted to make amends? If he was being honest, Dylan was curious to see how his "father" was doing.

He was pretty overwhelmed with the surprise meeting. Unsure of what to respond with, he just nodded and turned back towards the house. "I'll uh...I'll show you the house, Norma's up there right now, she's actually cooking dinner" he babbled.

John appeared to dread seeing his ex-wife after so many years, he felt so much unexpressed animosity towards her, and he certainly didn't want things to get ugly...but given Norma's famous temper, he knew things would turn bad really quick.

Wordlessly, Dylan led John up the stairs and into the home, a bit apprehensive about how Norma would act. He couldn't remember a thing about them as a family when he was a toddler, but he knew it was a volatile relationship with lots of screaming and tension. Part of him was almost excited to see her reaction, but that was purely for his own entertainment.

The second they made it in the hallway, John walked to the kitchen, Norma catching his eye automatically. She'd changed a bit since they were last together, then again that was 19 years ago when she was merely 20.

Norma turned, thinking either Dylan or Norman was in her presence. When she set her sights on John Massett, her heart dropped in her chest. What the hell was he doing here? What could he want? It had been so long, he had grown older. His green eyes scanning her, the dirty blonde hair on his head was shorter, much more tame than his teenage bedhead, and he was completely buff. Her mouth dropped open and all she could do was stare in shock.

She shook her head to snap herself out of it, her mouth falling back into place. "J-John...what are you doing here?" she asked, trying to regain some self control.

"I had a business proposition for my son and he won't answer my calls" he began, taking a seat at the kitchen table, making himself comfortable, "I figured I'd come to the direct source and see what was going on. He hasn't contacted me or anything, y'know ever since you ripped him away from me".

Norma glared at him, slamming the bowl she had in her hand down on the kitchen counter top. "Are you kidding me? I ripped him away from you? He was never yours! You would go to work at five in the morning and not come home until one am. We both know you had three interests, working, drinking, and screwing. Tell me where childcare falls into that realm?".

He shook his head and sneered, letting out a sarcastic laugh. "Oh you're one to talk, Norma. You never did shit to take care of Dylan, you sat there for eight months after he was born, barely holding him or showing him any attention at all! And then you go and skank around with my co-worker" he shot back, his voice fiery with anger.

"I was not skanking around with Sam, okay? We were teenagers when we got married and we had no clue what we were doing. We didn't know how to take care of a baby or keep our marriage together, we were immature. I met Sam and I fell in love with him" she explained, trying to stay calm though he was pressing her in the worst way possible.

John took a deep breath and stared into her eyes sincerely. "Look Norma, I didn't come here to argue with you about the past. I wanted to see my son".

She threw her hands up and backed away, retreating back to the kitchen counter. "Fine. You wanna see Dylan, that's completely fine with me. But if you do anything to hurt him, I swear I will have you placed at the bottom of the bay".

"Enough said" he replied, heading out of the kitchen and back outside to see Dylan, who was still on the porch. He wasn't sweeping anymore, but sitting on the patio chair, the young man looked completely perplexed by his "fathers" visit, he didn't know what to say or what to do about it. So, much like his mother, he tried to avoid the situation.

When Dylan saw John again, he looked at him innocently. "Why did you come back here after so long? I mean why the hell do you care now?" he asked, sounding almost irritated. No one knew it but these feelings manifested over time, he was neglected by Norma for a tumultuous 21 years and his father abandoned him from the age of three, these events were inflicted like scars on his heart.

John had the urge to console him but figured it was way too early to try and get close. "Let me take you out for lunch and we'll talk about it, I'll tell you everything" he promised.

"If that's the case, you have a lot of explaining to do".

**XXX**

**A/N: So, this is my new story. I hope you guys like it, I really wanted to do something new by using all the Bates characters to capture your interest. Review and favorite if you enjoy this so far and would like another chapter. As always, thank you for reading - MJ123 :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

It was midday in White Pine Bay as John and Dylan headed out to a local diner. The ride over was incredibly awkward and it didn't help that the truck was so small. The pair drove without a word spoken, Dylan being too nervous to say anything at all and John apprehensive about how his son would perceive him after so many years of being apart. Local radio was their only vice for this kind of situation, the NPR humming in the background keeping them mildly alert.

Once John finally pulled into an empty parking space in the diner lot, he turned to Dylan with a small smile. "Are you ready to head inside?" he asked awkwardly, practically scrounging for some kind of conversation.

Dylan nodded, "Yeah" he mumbled, getting out of the car. He was thankful once the fresh air hit his face. John's truck reeked of stale booze and put out cigarettes. His ride was so ancient, he wouldn't be surprised if John and Norma had hooked up in the backseat as teens. He quickly wiped that thought from his mind and headed into the diner, holding the door open.

John stepped inside and nodded to Dylan, looking for a waiter to seat them so they could began their outlandish reunion. A sign sat beside the numerous booths that instructed them to seat themselves. They shuffled to the area closest to the window and sat, struggling to make eye contact with one another. Both of them picked up menus, but only decided on coffee. It would seem unfitting to order anything too big, this was no casual lunch.

Dylan looked across the table at John, who cleared his throat before stumbling into the conversation. "So...I know that this is really long overdue and I apologize for that, Dylan. I'm sorry that we are getting together right now when I should have tried to build a relationship with you a long time ago" he began, locking eyes with him, a sad lipped smile on his face.

He scoffed, shaking his head. "You'll have to do a lot better than that if you want this conversation to go the right way". Dylan picked up his mug and took a sip of hot coffee, giving him a smart ass grin. Sure, he knew that Caleb was his biological father, but that didn't mean John shouldn't have come around once or twice to check on him. After all, John believed he was his son.

John nodded and decided to dive right into some explanations. "Well, I'll start off by telling you the general stuff and then I'll delve deeper. I grew up with my mother in Kansas and then I moved to Ohio with my grandparents once she died of ovarian cancer. I got into a local high school in Akron where I met Norma. I'll tell you...she was something. She had these hypnotic blue eyes and this perfect body. We fell in love really young and before you know it she wound up pregnant. Both of us were really scared, I mean we were so young and stupid. Then you came along and there was this feeling that everything would be okay, you weren't a burden as much as you were a saving grace".

Dylan wanted to be happy with that explanation, but he needed more from him. John owed him the whole story, even the bad parts. He wondered for years what happened between his parents. "And? What about later on? Why did you and Norma start fighting?" he asked.

He nodded and paused to take a sip of coffee. "Well, being parents that young was really hard. I got this really shitty job working at this factory. I only made like $118 a week, and that had to pay for diapers, clothes, food, doctors appointments. Norma had to stay home and take care of you, between the two of us, we had no close family that could babysit. That caused a lot of tension between us, especially when I lost my job. I was lucky enough to find something after that at an insurance office, which paid a little better. Norma would always be pissed at me because I'd come home late and she had to be the one taking care of you" he sighed, hating to reflect on the bad years between the two.

"Anyway, one night my boss invited me and all my co-workers to this Christmas party at his house. Norma and I went, that's when she met Sam Bates. It wasn't long after that when she started sleeping with him. She never had to tell me that they were having an affair. It wasn't hard to figure out, I mean I worked in a cubicle next to the guy, he would always take a 45 minute lunch break and come back smelling of your mother's perfume. I'm not going to lie, I confronted him and he admitted to seeing her. I beat the shit out of him in the company's parking lot. Then I asked Norma about it, and she admitted it. Not long after that, she took you and moved out. She left me for Sam and they went to Arizona. I was alone for a good five years before I was able to move on" he said with a small laugh, looking up to see if Dylan was pleased with the explanation.

Dylan stayed silent for a few moments, taking in everything he had said. There was no new information explained, it was just a relapse of the things Norma had told him over the years. He wasn't shocked that his parents split, John seemed like a laid back guy and everyone knew Norma was mercurial. He felt the searing need to tell John the truth about his conception, it wouldn't be fair to not tell him. The damage had already been done right?

"I've been feeling really bad these past years, Dylan. I feel bad that I never tried to find you and reconnect with you after your mother left. I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to abandon you" he said, breathing a heavy sigh, "I feel like such a shitty parent".

Dylan was kicking himself inside, he couldn't hold in what had to be said or else he'd feel shitty. "Look...there's something I gotta tell you, it's really uh...it's really rough" he began, turning to glance out the window before heading into the wrenching confession of his true conception.

John looked at him, his face completely calm. He figured it couldn't be that bad after all he just revealed to Dylan about his early life. "Okay. You can tell me anything, Dylan" he reassured, leaning in to get closer to him, connecting eyes.

He took another deep breath, internally feeling sick to his stomach, he had no idea how to say it but his mind was scrambling for the right words. His heart was thumping hard against his rib cage, his palms grew wetter, and those nervous green eyes shot all around the diner, which felt like it was getting smaller and overheated. "I'm not yours" he finally bursted, his anxiety going down a tad.

John said nothing, he just stared at him. What did he just say? He must've heard him wrong. His mouth opened but nothing came out. His fingers fidgeted and there was nothing to grasp onto. "What?" he asked dumbfounded at his words.

He sighed and stood from the table, looking down at him as he got ready to head back outside. "I'm not your son, okay? Norma lied" he said, walking to the exit and out the door. He stood in the parking lot, looking down at rocks and trees surrounding him.

John quickly shot up and followed behind, though his mind was lost. He thought about what Dylan told him, knowing it couldn't be true. He thought his son was just resentful and trying to get back at him for never seeing him grow up. But something in Dylan's tone kept him hanging on. The thought of it, the very idea that Dylan's paternity was all a lie was ludicrous. Not even Norma would be that twisted, right?

"C'mon, I'm taking you home and then I think I'll have a little conversation with Norma" he mumbled, getting into the truck and starting the engine. He watched as Dylan climbed in as well, not daring to say a word. The tension in the cab was worse than it was on the ride over. He did nothing but glance over at Dylan the entire ride back to the motel.

As the pair drove along the idealistic roads of White Pine Bay, John thought in depth about Dylan's conception. He remembered Norma always being the one to want sex and he knew damn well that there were no condoms involved, she always told him she was on the pill, and being the horny, desperate teenage boy he was, it was believable. Was she trying to get herself pregnant? Was she trying to fool him into believing that he was the father to cover some other boy's ass? Every thought went through his head as they peeled into the motel parking lot.

John got out and glared up at the Bates home, ready to have a word with Norma. He mindlessly left Dylan behind, but that was the least of his worries at that moment. He practically sprinted across the parking lot and up those damned stairs until he reached the front door. He knocked, or rather, pounded waiting for her to answer.

When Norma finally got to the door and answered, she shot a glare his way. "What the hell is your problem? Why are you causing such a racket?".

He pushed past her and entered the house, not caring about courtesy. He stood inches from her and felt his blood boil as he looked into her eyes. "You and I are going to have a talk" he ordered, walking into the kitchen and leaning back against one of the counters.

Norma stood confused as to what was going on, but also enraged at his actions, how dare he come into her home and treat her like that. She stomped to the kitchen and held the nasty scowl on her face as she stood before him. "What is all of this about?".

He scoffed and looked around the kitchen then back to her. "Is Dylan mine? Or was this some kind of sick lie that you created in that fucked up mind?" he asked, his tone sharp and dominating.

Her eyes widened at his question and her heart was about to explode. Did Dylan say something he shouldn't have? Why was John just suspecting something now? Why did everything bad always have to come back and bite her in the ass?

"What are you talking about, John?" she asked, her voice shaky and weak, it wasn't like her to back down but in this case she knew it was over. The secret she kept for so many years was on display and there was nothing she could do to conceal it.

He silently took note of her trembling body and the sound of her voice, it was like she was going to break at any second, and John wasn't about to let her off so easily, not after something like this. He never knew Norma could be this bad. "Yeah, that's what I thought. So, tell me Norma, who was it? Who the hell did you cheat with that knocked you up?".

She shook her head and looked away, not knowing how to answer his question. There was no way in hell she could lie again, not after years and years of keeping something like this from him. She practically took most of his teenage years away by trapping him with a baby. She kept her resolve, however, and said nothing at all.

John grew more and more infuriated by the second. It was like a flashback of them having fights as a young couple. She always found a way to go silent and unresponsive. Same old Norma, just a different and far more serious situation. He remembered why he kept his space for so many years, she was toxic. "C'mon, Norma, tell me who you were fucking behind my back" he growled, provoking her to speak.

She looked away for a brief second before setting her focus back on him. "I wasn't sleeping with anyone behind your back" she murmured, shaking her head at the thoughts of Caleb. Caleb who would come into her room every single night, forcing his fingers under her bra strap, shoving her onto the bed, and hushing her whenever she would try to scream.

"Then what? How do you explain Dylan, huh?" he pressed, shooting an unforgivable and deep seeded glare her way.

Norma sighed, moving to the kitchen table and sitting down with her head in her hands. "You're going to have to sit down for this, John". He didn't say anything, he just rolled his eyes, and followed her commands. His annoyance was obvious as he looked across the table at her.

She took a deep breath and, as much as it pained her, looked into his eyes. Her's were already beginning to water. "Dylan was telling you the truth, John. He is not your son, okay?" she admitted, preparing herself to tell the rest.

"When I was younger, before we met, my brother...he used to make me have sex with him. It was every single day starting when I was 11 and stopping when I was like 17. I had no power to stop him, I would kick and scream but he'd never give up. My parents didn't give a shit about me...they were either drunk or passed out all the time, they had no idea what was going on. Before I knew it...I was pregnant with Dylan. And then I met you and we started sleeping together...things just fell into place. I had to get out of that house, I couldn't take it anymore. When I found out I was going to have a baby at such a young age, I was frightened. I knew I had to give Dylan a good environment to grow up in. I had no intention of letting him grow up in a house where his mother was being raped and tortured everyday...it just wasn't going to happen".

John sat both astonished and bewildered, this was the one time in his life he knew Norma wasn't lying. Her eyes filled with tears and her body trembled as she explained her tough situation to him. He wished he had known about Caleb as a teen, he would've kicked his ass. Silently he came to a peaceful conclusion. Sure, he understood why Norma did what she did, but it gave her no right to trick him into believing that he was Dylan's father.

He peered into her eyes again, with a sympathetic look on his face. "Norma...why didn't you ever tell me this when we were together?" he asked softly, his anger simmering down.

"Because...if I did, I knew you wouldn't have stayed with me. I needed you, John. I needed you so bad, as a father for Dylan and as a husband for myself. You did a lot to help me. You got me out of that awful hell hole and out into the world".

He smiled at her and nodded grateful for her appreciation. The grin on his face grew wider as he thought about them as teens. "Eh, I would've married you anyway. It was fun when we were dating".

She matched his expression and let a soft laugh escape her lips. "Well, in all honestly you were my first love...that and you were more of a father to Dylan than anyone else ever was". Norma felt somehow lighter, like she had been set free from something that had sat on her conscience for far too long.

"Thank you, Norma".

"Besides, it doesn't matter who his biological father is. Dylan turned out to be a great man, he's so hard working and responsible. I'll tell you something, that boy knows how to make a terrible situation a lot better" she said, thinking back to the many times he had helped her and Norman when they got into trouble.

John smiled one last time, rising from his side of the table, and walking over to her. He dropped a kiss on her cheek. "It was good to see you again, Norma. Try to take it easy, huh?". He then walked out of the kitchen and back outside to Dylan.

Norma sat with a minimal smile on her face, happy that the truth was finally said. This certainly did not erase her hatred and disgust for Caleb or the way she grew up, but it made her feel a hell of a lot more at rest with the situation.

**XXX**

John walked back down the motel steps, feeling a little heartbroken. Though he wasn't Dylan's biological father, he knew he could be there for him in that moment. He walked to the motel porch, where Dylan was sitting and smoking a fresh cigarette.

Silently, he took the seat next to him with a small smile. "I talked to Norma" he said simply, looking his way.

Dylan didn't make eye contact, he stared at the road ahead. "So you know now, huh? You know that I'm the product of something totally shameful and disgusting?".

"Dylan...yes, you were the product of something that wasn't right. But that doesn't mean I won't call you my son. I raised you for the first few years and I've thought about you the rest. I came here today because I had a business proposition for you".

He looked at him over at him, his face flooded with confusion. "Doing what?". Dylan had no intention of jumping into a project with the man he barely know.

"Well, I started this underground business in Colorado. It's a medical marijuana dispensary for people who really need it. Me and my buddy, Patrick have a little shop in downtown Denver where people can come in and get a prescription without any identification. We've been making tons of cash. Anyway, Patrick is a good friend of your boss, Remo. When I found out that you worked for him, I had to come down here" he explained, hoping he would accept the offer.

Dylan nodded and really thought about the job. On one hand, he would be able to get away from White Pine Bay but on the other, he'd leave his mother alone. He couldn't deny that the money would probably be amazing along with the lifestyle. He had to think about it, things like this couldn't be decided on the spot.

He stood, tossing his cigarette to the ground and stepping on it to extinguish the small flame. "I'm gonna have to think about it, y'know? I just need some time" he said, leaving the porch.

John nodded and stood, following him on the gravely parking lot. "Okay, Dylan. I'll be in town for two weeks, I'm staying at this little motel on the other side of town called The Ritz. If you make up your mind or have any questions about my offer, you know where to go" he exclaimed, stepping back to his truck.

Dylan watched he pulled away, only leaving a small cloud of dust behind him.

**XXX**

It was later in the day when Norman made his way to the outside of the motel. His mother had told him that the patio furniture was looking dirty and she would not have people sitting on unkept chairs, because it looked cheap. He, being the dutiful son he was, agreed to scrub them down immediately.

Norman kneeled on the concrete with a sponge in hand and a bucket of lukewarm water at this knee. He began rinsing the chair and watching some of the mud come off the chair. Just a he was about to apply soap, his eyes darted to the widow near Room 1. _It's almost 8 pm and she's just turning on her light now? _No. No, he couldn't go there, Mother said warned him, that girl is bad. _But Mother is no where around, right? She never has to know…_

With that notion, Norman dropped the sponge in the bucket and looked around to make sure the coast was clear. He nonchalantly walked past the window and crouched down under in. Leaning over, his ear fell to the wooden door to make sure she wasn't coming to open it. He heard footsteps, but only towards the opposite direction. His eyes fell back towards the curtain, which were thankfully sheer, as he watched her intently.

From what Norman could make out, she was slipping out of a pair of nylon stockings. He observed her tossing them on the mattress and then tugging her short skirt down. His abdomen was filling up with heat as he watched the skirt pool to the floor. Her fingertips went up to curl around the waistband of her panties, but before the show could go on, Norman heard a voice.

"Norman!" he heard coming from the side of him, he immediately jumped and fell, his back hitting the concrete. His palms grew sweaty and his heart raced as he realized Sheriff Romero standing before him, giving him a questioning glare. Norman quickly rose to his feet and straightened out his shirt.

"Norman, what were you just doing?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and squinting at him. Though he was off duty, that same intimidating manner still coursed through his veins. He could've easily let the kid go on his way and get back to that new bottle of Cognac in his room, but this was not the first lewd incidence with Norman Bates, something had to be done this time.

Norman was quick to shake his head, letting that innocent smile dominate his young face. "Nothing at all, Sheriff Romero" he answered obediently, trying to stay clear of trouble. He did not need anymore bad run in's with the law, certainly not after the Blair Watson situation.

"Nothing, huh? Then why were you looking in that window?" he pressed, motioning to Room 1.

He tried his best to channel his mother, she was good at getting out of dangerous situations like this. He let out a small chuckle and shook his head. "No, no, I just dropped my phone on the ground. It's kind of dark out here and I was crouching down near the window to look for it. I was using the light from the window as a sort of guide" he answered calmly.

Alex knew he was getting no where with Norman, the boy had a good explanation but he still didn't believe it, he knew exactly what he was doing. He would just tell Norma what he saw and have her deal with him.

"Fine, Norman. But I don't want to see you near that window again. Are we clear?" he asked, still trying his hardest to instill the fear in him.

The boy nodded and started to walk away. "Understood. Goodnight, Sheriff Romero" he smiled, now fully turning and moving back towards the house. It was going to take a full night of sleep to get rid of the weight that sat on his heavy conscience.

**XXX**

Early the next morning, Norma walked down to the motel office to start in on some paperwork and taking reservations. When she reached the front porch, she noticed the bucket and sponge that were left lying on the concrete, with a heavy sigh she picked them up. She wondered why Norman would leave them out, the furniture was already disgusting, passers by didn't need to see that the place was unkempt too.

Silently, she noticed Alex taking the moving boxes she gave him and putting them in the back of his SUV. _He was leaving already?_ Quickly, she tossed the bucket and sponge in the back corner of the office. She straightened her skirt out and walked to him, keeping her calm.

"Morning, Alex" she greeted, faking a cheerful tone. She stood in front of the car and watched as he packed the back seat with big brown boxes. "Leaving so soon?".

Alex tossed the last box in the back and shut the door, turning around to look at her. _Why did she always have to wear shirts that clung so tightly to her curves? _Stepping closer to face her, he dispelled that thought from his mind. "Yeah, I decided to do it today because I have the afternoon off".

She nodded and looked back at the empty Room 11.

As he looked at her, he knew Norman's escapade had to be revealed. "Look, Norma, I have to tell you about something. Something concerning Norman…" he started, letting his hand drift to the back of his neck, there was no way to kill the awkward tension.

Norma looked at him, her eyes widening immediately, she was nervous automatically. _What had he done this time? _"What? What about Norman?" she asked anxiously, looking at him intently.

"Well uh, last night, I was heading to my room and he was sitting near that window," he broke, motioning to Room 1.

She quickly scoffed even though her heart rate was rapid, she could feel herself freaking out. "No, Alex. You saw wrong, my son would never do anything of the sort". She knew it was best to brush his accusation off before the claims got worse.

"He was staring in the window, Norma! I know what I saw" he yelled, getting more defensive. God, she was irritating. Why couldn't she get it through her thick skull? Norman was not what he seemed, he wasn't that innocent boy. Alex knew he had some dark intentions, Norma was just naive to see it.

She shook her head quickly, denying him. "Well you saw wrong!".

"This is pointless," he muttered, taking a moment to step into his truck. "There is no use trying to get anything across to you" he scoffed, slamming the door behind him.

Norma watched as he roared the engine and left the parking lot. What was she going to do now? She couldn't totally believe Alex without getting Norman's side of the story. She knew of his blackouts but not his possible perversions.

**XXX**

Norman sat in his bedroom, still guilty about the night before. He cursed himself for not being more aware when he tried to get a peek of the girl in Room 1. He needed something, some kind of reassurance that it would be okay. Just as that need entered his weary mind, Mother appeared right in front of him. This time she wasn't so happy and peaceful looking, she had a hardened glare on her face that scared Norman.

"_Norman, what did I tell you about looking at that girl?" _

The hairs on the back of the boy's neck stood up the second he heard her angry, scolding tone. This was the first time in a while he wanted Mother to leave him alone. "You told me not to, Mother".

"_And what did you do!?" _

Norman's green eyes filled with glossy tears, as much as he wanted to deny the event, he couldn't, he loved and respected Mother far too much to ever lie to her. "I stared at her, alright? I watched her through her window!" he yelled through the sadness in his voice.

"_And then the Sheriff caught you! Norman, do you know how dangerous that is? Do you want to end up in jail again?!" _

Norman couldn't take it anymore, her nagging and scolding were both driving him insane. He clapped his hands over his ears and closed his eyes tightly shut. "Go away!" he yelled, feeling something in his gut churn as he shouted.

As Norma walked to her son's room all she could hear was Norman shouting. But this was not his voice...this was something far too demonic to correlate with her boy. It didn't take a genius to know that something was wrong, slowly she walked to his door and entered.

"Norman, honey? Is everything okay?" she asked, her voice like a gentle coo, something that soothed Norman to no end. Immediately the boy threw his arms around her waist and hugged her, inhaling her sweet scent.

"I'm sorry, Mother, I'm so sorry" he exclaimed, his voice sounding like a beg for forgiveness.

Norma knew exactly what he was talking about and took a seat on the mattress next to him. "Norman, is this about last night's incident with Sheriff Romero?" she asked, letting her hand fall to his back, rubbing small circles, she knew it was the best way to comfort him.

He nodded, his head bowed in shame. Though sad, his insides were lit from the feeling of her hand on his body, it sent tingles down his spine. He savored her warm touch as opposed to focusing on the guilt that still wafted through his mind.

"It's okay, honey. I believe you, alright? I'm not mad" she murmured, longing to relax him. Norma hated to see her son so distraught, she knew how he could get wound up easily.

He nodded and smiled at her, his whole body going soft with ease. "I love you, Mother" he said, his adoring eyes falling to her as he encased her in a tight hug.

She gave him her best smile, her pursed lips curved up in the best way possible.

"I love you too, honey".

**XXX**

**A/N: Wow! Totally appreciate all the readers who followed, favorited, and reviewed this story. I love you all and am incredibly pleased that you like this so far. I wanted you all to know that many other characters will make appearances and have roles in the story. Hang on tight, the plot is about to get better. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this. Review, favorite, and follow if you want more. As always, thank you for reading - MJ123 :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The sunlight was peeking in through a pair of thick curtains as Norman's eyes flickered open, he was normally a happy teen but mornings were certainly not his forte. If he could do things his way, he would wake up at 10 am as oppose to 6, but his mother needed help and he couldn't disappoint her. _He would never disappoint her. _Just as he rose up, there she was, all dressed up in one of her famous skirt and blouse combinations. He observed as the sunlight hit her face, every wrinkle and sign of aging was clear to see, yet she was still perfect. The muscles in his stomach practically clenched everytime he looked at her.

"Mother," he croaked, his voice still rough and grave from waking up. He was surprised to see her expression, all signs of anger and disappointment were wiped away with a kind smile. Her eyes lit up as she looked at him. Mother reached a hand out to brush through his bed head hair and Norman relished her touch.

"_Good morning, honey. I hope you slept well". Mother rose and untucked him from his thick blankets. _

Norman shook his still weary head, feeling a bit disoriented by the very sight of her. "I did not, Mother. I felt bad about last night. I'm so sorry I yelled at you. I didn't mean it when I told you to go away, I never want you to leave me," he explained, looking at her in adoration. He could never stay mad at Mother, he was her everything afterall.

_Mother nodded, the sweet smile on her face turning into something less cheery. "It's okay, Norman. I forgive you." _

"I don't know what came over me, Mother. It's this guest in Room 1...she's been on my mind and I can't seem to shake her. I know she's bad, I know it. She's almost captivating. I don't know what to do," he admitted, his eyes almost getting watery at the thought of disappointing or angering Mother.

"_Now Norman, I don't want you to fret about this, okay? We're going to handle this together. I'll help you get her off your mind," she cooed, taking his hand in her own. _

He nodded, understanding what she was asking of him. He would meet her requirements. He would always follow her orders, no matter what they were. "But how, Mother?"

_Mother motioned to his bedroom clothing bureau and turned back to him. "I want you to look in your top drawer, under your socks," she instructed, rising from the bed to observe him. _

"Yes, Mother," he replied, his tone obedient and almost pitiful. He stood from his mattress and walked to the bureau, tearing apart the clothing to get to the bottom of the drawer. His eyebrows rose when he set his sights on a handgun. He picked it up, observing the weight and feel of it in his hand. The metal was cool against his skin and he knew there were a few bullets left. He looked back to Mother while holding onto it tightly.

_Mother smiled at the sight of her dutiful boy, holding the gun, he looked fierce, dangerous almost. "Norman, you know what you have to do, right?". _

Norman nodded and ran a fingertip over the trigger softly. If he couldn't handle the guest in Room 1, he would go crazy and disappoint Mother. _I can't let her down. I'd never let her down. She's everything in the world to me and that means the guest has to go. _

The next time he looked up, Mother had left his bed and disappeared. He could hear Norma's wedged heels clicking on the hardwood outside of his room, her footsteps grew closer and closer as Norman's heartbeat sped up at a rapid pace. He quickly relocated back to the bureau and placed the gun on the very top of his folded boxers, not such a good hiding place, but he hand no time to do anything else.

Perfect timing seemed to be in Norman's favor that morning because the second he closed the drawer and headed back to sit on the bed, Norma came through his bedroom door with that same damned smile on her face. "Good morning, honey," she cooed, walking over to him, dropping a kiss on his forehead, and giving him a hug. She was happy to see him up and chipper so early. "I have breakfast waiting for you downstairs. I made that cinnamon danish you like so much."

Norman stood and watched her move about, heading over to his bedroom curtains. "Thank you, Mom. That sounds delicious," he said with a smile, the feeling of her lips still lingering on his skin like the smell of her perfume on his body.

Norma looked to her son, eager fingertips sitting on his bedroom curtain. "Norman, honey, what are you planning on doing with your day? It's beautiful outside," she began, tearing the curtains open, dust from the sunlight beginning to gather on the hardwood. "The birds are chirping and the sun is shining".

"Well, actually, when I was taking out the trash last night, I found this little pigeon sitting by the trash cans. I was going to take it into the basement and start working on it this morning" he explained, excited about his new find. Though he knew Norma didn't approve of his love for taxidermy, it certainly didn't hinder him from stopping.

She sighed and walked to him, taking his hand, a slightly disappointed look on her face. "Norman…" she began, letting another sigh leave her lips, "I'm starting to get concerned about your obsession with the taxidermy. It's like when you're not working the motel or at school, you're down in that dank basement, pulling the guts out of dead things" she explained.

"No, Mother. You don't understand...it's a passion of mine, I don't see anything wrong with it. A lot of people consider taxidermy an art," he stated, almost getting angry at her preconceived notion of taxidermy.

"Okay...alright honey, I understand that. I totally get that you love taxidermy and it's a big hobby of yours. I'm just saying that as a kid you were so active, you were always in clubs and joining sports teams. Baseball was your favorite, you know. I remember how much you loved being on the team. You made a ton of new friends too," she revealed, a smile gracing her lips as she thought of one boy in particular that was on his team, "Don't you remember Timmy Thompson? He was that kid who always smelled like baby powder and Downy? God, his mother was the absolute worst. She was a real Jesus freak. She always came up to me and handed me these pamphlets from her weird church, telling me I needed to find Jesus and wash away all my sins. She kept her distance once I lied and told her I grew up in a Buddhist household. Anyway, Timmy would always step up to home plate and piss his pants, it was so funny but really sad at the same time. I can't imagine how cracked that kid must be now."

Norman laughed as she told her story, he remembered the boy well, they got along but he never really liked the kid. "Yeah, I remember Timmy. He would always ask me if I wanted to sleep over his house."

"Yeah and I never let you go over there because I thought his family was like some weird cult of religious nut jobs. When it came down to it, they were all pretty insane," she concluded, shaking her head. "Look...all I'm saying is it would be best for you to go out and do proactive things again. Just think about it."

Norman nodded making his way back to the bed. "Yes, Mother. I'll try and get out more, I promise. As a matter of fact, Emma and I were thinking about going out tonight to this really cool bonfire," he explained, watching her sit next to him.

Norma rose an eyebrow and flashed him an almost skeptical look. "Norman, is there going to be drinking at this bonfire?" she questioned, her maternal instinct coming out at it's best.

"Well Mother, I can't promise that there won't be...but you know me more than anyone else does. You think I'd disobey you? I would never take a drink. You told me not to and I won't," he promised, sincerity shown all over his young, innocent face.

She cocked her head to the side, her expression darkening slightly. "I'm not to sure about that, Norman. I told you it wasn't appropriate to drink at your age and last year you went behind my back. Doesn't Cody Brennan ring a bell? I'm not stupid, I know you two drank a fair amount."

Norman scoffed but remained pleasant, not wanting to tick her off, after all his mother was nothing if not mercurial. "Yes, okay? We drank and I feel terrible about it...I hate breaking your rules, Mother. It was just peer pressure I guess. I wanted her to like me," he admitted, internally still missing Cody though their last face to face in the Sheriff's department was not too pleasant.

"Norman, I told you over and over. Girls like Cody are raised like a weed, okay? They are trapped in some kind of unbearable circumstance that they can't get out of" she explained, remembering the day he lectured her son about the dangers of seeing a girl from the "wrong side of the tracks". She didn't want him to detect it...but it was obvious she was referring to herself. Norma herself had trapped a boy as a teenager, fooling him into being a father, and harboring it for 23 years. But what was she to do? Sure, she escaped her hellish home life but the memories still haunted her. It was on more than one occasion where Norma would pop up from sleep in the middle of the night after a disturbing dream featuring Caleb. As a matter of fact, she was still recuperating from her last nightmare that happened a few nights before…

_Norma lay in her ancient twin bed, staring at the alarm clock. It was already nearing 3 am and she had school the next morning but she couldn't fall asleep, not yet anyways, not until it was over. Her small, still developing body started to tremble as those telltale heavy footsteps made their way to her bedroom door. She knew what it meant, the experience was always the same, but she stayed frightened. Once the light crept in through the newly opened crack in her door, she tried to unnoticably hide deeper under the thick, cotton blankets but it was no use. He walked closer anyway. She cringed as his fingers swept through her pale blonde hair, if she was fully alert during his visit, her ears wouldn't be able to deceive the word "Sis" leaving his lips. The tears streamed down her face as he climbed next to her, already starting to pull her over and yank the nightgown strap down her fare, porcelain skin. Her blue, innocent orbs watched as his actions grew more and more aggressive. The physical pain of his visits had already started to disappear, leaving Norma with only fresh wounds and scars emotionally that would never be healed, not even by Norman. _

She drifted back into consciousness as her sights set on Norman. Those still pained her but she could always count on her son's innocent, sweet smile to bring her out of them. He couldn't heal her completely, but he could give her a shoulder to cry on. "Look, honey...just go out with Emma and have fun tonight, but please don't drink. That's all I'm asking".

Norman nodded and hugged her slightly. "Okay, mom" he agreed, watching her get up and head to his bedroom door. She told him breakfast was waiting and to hurry downstairs before it got cold, one of her typical warnings that he'd grown so accustomed to.

He stood from the bed and retreated back to his sock drawer, tucking the handgun under an old pair of Christmas socks his grandmother had given him when he was 10. She always gave the worst presents, from socks with holes in them to a pack of Parliaments. Norman could remember her coming over for Christmas one morning when he was around 15. She tossed a pack of wrapped cigarettes at his chest. "You smoke yet, Normie?" she asked, her voice disintegrating from age and nicotine. He remembered the look on his mother's face, she was appalled, tearing the cigarettes up one by one and tossing them in the garbage. That was the year Norma had a black eye from a recent feud with Sam, those were the kinds of memories Norman could do without.

Wiping the thoughts from his mind, Norman changed into a nice pair of khakis and his best flannel button down. He shut his bedroom light off and headed downstairs to his mother, he would hate to see her impatient after all.

**XXX**

As the afternoon carried on, the load of guests coming in were thinning. Norma got bored of sitting in that stuffy office and waiting for the next underage teenage couple or skeevy old business man to walk in, expecting a room with no reservation. Her eyes looked outside to the motel porch, flickering directly to Room 11. In one hour, Norma had looked down at that newly vacant room at least five or six times.

The room had been vacant for two days now and Norma was going out of her mind. Silently, she missed Alex...his being there made it so much easier for her and Norman to breathe easy. There were no worries about anyone coming after them and they both knew it was safer that way. It would've been wiser to offer Alex the guest room in her home...no, no, that would be much too dangerous. Norma couldn't let her reputation sink any lower and she certainly wouldn't allow the town Sheriff to get in trouble.

She sighed heavily, her thoughts conflicting like never before. Norma deserved to be relaxed in her own home, right? She should not have to be so afraid every time she heard a noise in her home in the middle of the night. She would not stand for her son getting anxious whenever someone unknown knocked at their door. With those thoughts prevalent in her head, Norma turned around, grabbing the key to Room 11.

Incognito, Norma hid the key in the palm of her hand and looked around outside, making sure there was no noisy Emma Decody to question her or even worse, Norman to wonder and worry about why his mother was acting so nervous. Once the coast was clear, she quickly marched down to Room 11, cursing herself for wearing those loud wedges.

She slid the key in the door and entered, shutting it tightly behind her. She had to keep reminding herself that this was all for the sake of her family's protection and not for her own personal needs. She looked around the room for anything out of place or suspicious, her mind was racing a mile a minutes as she prayed to find an item left behind. When she moved to the bathroom and found a half full can of shaving cream on the counter, she took it as a saving grace.

With the can in her hand, she turned to leave the room, a smile on her face when she retrieved the item. When she made it back to the office and hung the key back on the wall, she thought of how she'd find Alex. He never told her his new address. _He never would do such a thing. He barely tolerates me, right? _

She thought and thought, wondering how to retrieve his address. Soon after creating the perfect idea, she reached for the office phone and dialed the White Pine Bay Sheriff's Department, this would take quite the amount of begging on her end. She waited through the dial tones, still thinking about the words that were to leave her mouth.

Once the same telltale receptionist answered, Norma cleared her throat and prepared to take on another role. "Hello, is Sher-" she stopped herself, this would sound better if it wasn't so formal, "I mean Alex working today?" she questioned, her voice much sweeter and a few octaves higher.

"No, Sheriff Romero has the day off. Is this urgent? May I ask who this is?".

"I'm his girlfriend," she lied, a small smile unintentionally spreading across her pouty lips. "I was supposed to meet him today for lunch and I know he moved to a different address. I can't seem to reach him right now so I was going to head to his place. Any idea what his new address is?" she asked, feeling more and more like a professional actress as she continued the rouse.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few moments. "Ma'am...I really don't think I can give away that information".

"Oh come on, I'm sure you can break the rules just once. I made a really special picnic lunch and I'd feel awful if I wouldn't be able to surprise him with it" she explained, trying her best to feign an innocent, sweet voice.

She could hear the receptionist sigh and look around the vacant office. "He's living with his mother now. She's at 149 Forrester Ave. Please don't tell him I told you, I would loose my job" she begged, her voice now hushed and careful.

"Yeah, yeah, your secret's safe with me" she scoffed before hanging up. 149 Forrester Ave. With that, Norma left the office and kept a tight grip on the can of shaving cream as she headed to her car and sped out of the lot to find the house. She knew this would give Alex quite the surprise.

**XXX**

After looking down various streets she'd never seen before, she finally reached Alex's new home. Just when she was about to give up the search, she remembered that he said his mother's home was five minutes away from the police station, that made it similar to narrow down the options. Once she pulled up, a deep breath left her lips. When she grabbed the can of shaving cream, she left the car and headed to the front door.

Her nerves were beginning to awake once she knocked on the door. She didn't know what or who to expect so that rattled her even more. Silently, she wondered what Alex would think of her visit. She didn't know why she had decided to show up, maybe because she actually missed him.

The door opened and Norma's deep thoughts immediately came to a hault. Her eyes fell to a shorter woman with brown shoulder length hair and a pair of hazel eyes to match, no doubt this was Alex's mother, they looked identical. "Hello, I'm Norma Bates...I'm a friend of Alex's" she introduced, keeping her focus on the woman.

The woman's lips immediately stretched into a wide smile. Norma was taken aback, someone related to Alex actually smiled? She thought he came from a completely stoic family. She opened the door wider to let her inside, reaching a hand out to shake. "Why hello dear. I'm Marilyn, Alex's mother. You can come on in if you'd like," she offered, her sweet smile remaining.

Norma nodded and returned her grin, stepping into the home, taking in her surroundings. It seemed comfortable, inviting almost. The last time she'd been in a home like Marilyn's, she was 8 years old, and over her Grandmother's house for Easter Sunday. Her grandmother was the most sane person in the entire family. She passed away before any of the shit with Caleb started happening and even if she was still alive during Norma's trauma, she wouldn't have said a word, it would have crushed her. She could remember her Grandmother's funeral, the only time her family was all together in one room sharing the same emotion. She had never seen her mother so torn up, they were incredibly close as well. Hell, her mother took the name Norma from her own and passed it on to her daughter.

Once Norma broke out of her memory, she looked back to Marilyn kindly. "Um...I was wondering if I could speak to Alex real quick, I just have something for him" she explained, her palms getting sweaty.

Marilyn nodded and moved to the end of the staircase. "Of course dear," she began, her head looking up the stairs, "Alex, you have a friend here to see you!"

It wasn't long before Alex trotted down the stairs. Norma took in his appearance, it was the first time she saw him dressed so unprofessionally. There he stood, in baggy grey sweat pants and a White Pine Bay Police Force t-shirt. Surprisingly, the look didn't turn Norma off, she liked seeing him dressed so laid back.

Alex locked eyes with Norma immediately, giving her a look of shock. _What the hell is she doing here? Does this woman have any boundaries at all? _He rolled his eyes and scoffed as oppose to greeting her.

Marilyn looked back to Norma, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Norma, dear, can I get you anything? Would you like a cup of tea? I just bought some new Earl Grey?" she asked, her best shot at being attentive coming out.

"No, thank you. I'm fine," she began, walking to the edge of the staircase silently. She took the shaving cream out of her pocket and held it out to him. Her lips curved upwards in an awkward grin. "You left this in your old motel room. I was cleaning and I found it in the bathroom."

He took the can from her and placed it on the carpeted step next to his leg. He cocked his head to look at Marilyn. "Mom, do you mind giving us a moment? I need to talk to Norma in private".

She nodded and headed to the kitchen, but not before giving Alex a huge smile. Once out of the room, she placed her ear to the wallpaper to listen in on what they were saying. Noisy, yes, but she had a right to know what her son was doing.

Alex let an angry sigh leave his lips as he stepped closer, soon face to face with Norma. It was a bad idea, being that close to her, but he had to get his point across somehow. "What on earth are you doing here?" he asked, his tone hushed and rough.

Norma silently motioned to the shaving cream, a playful obvious look on her face. She crossed her arms, looking around Marilyn's home again. "Nice digs," she complimented, trying to change the subject.

He scoffed and looked away from her. "It's better than paying the rates at your motel," he started, his mind re-focusing on the task at hand, "Now, how the hell did you get my new address?".

She shook her head and looked him up and down, false confusion written all over her face. "Sweatpants and a t-shirt. Is this a lazy day for you or something?".

Alex was quick to deny her of an answer, he would not give her the satisfaction. "Stop trying to get away from the subject, Norma. It's not going to work for you this time. How did you get my mother's address?" he asked, getting angrier by the second.

She didn't say much, knowing that if she did, his receptionist would be in big trouble. Her shoulders rose in a playful shrug. "I have my ways," she answered simply.

He shook his head again, motioning to the front door. "You have to leave, Norma."

She held her hands up in mock defense, the smile staying at her lips, as if this was all a joke. She knew Alex was being serious, but she loved to push his buttons. "Okay, okay, I'm going." She walked to the door and headed outside, leaving him with only the can of shaving cream.

With a huff, Alex sat on the steps, reaching over to hold the shaving cream in his hands. He was relieved once she left his home, but at the same time, he still craved her presence. His thoughts broke apart as he heard his mother coming back. He watched as she sat on the staircase with him.

Marilyn automatically smiled at him, nudging his shoulder. "So...who was she?". Her voice almost sounded flirtatious, excited.

He was quick to shake her question off. There was no way he was going to tell her that he stayed at her motel for five months before going back home. "Just someone I've had to dig out of some deep shit," he sighed, his focus still on the bottle of saving cream.

"I don't like that language, Alexander," she said with a sigh. After a few moments, she decided to press him a little more on the subject, eager to know what was going on. "She's really beautiful. You don't see many like her nowadays. How come you can't settle down with someone like that?".

He couldn't stop the laugh from escaping his lips, his eyes darted to her to make sure she was being serious and not screwing with his mind. "Settling down? Settling down with a woman like Norma Bates?" he asked again, another scoff and laugh following.

"You know, she seemed fine to me."

"Yeah Mom, on the outside she's a real peach. But if I told you the amount of messes she's made since she arrived in this town, you would be amazed," he explained, a hand coming up to rub his temple, he could feel a strong headache coming on.

Marilyn rolled her eyes and stood from the stairs, now standing in front of him. "Well, excuse me if I want you to find a respectable girl, settle down, and start a family."

He sighed heavily, standing, and turning to retreat back to his bedroom.

"Once you get up there, I want you to wash up, I've got a chicken in the oven!"

**XXX**

Once Norma came home from Alex's, she headed into the kitchen to find Dylan sitting at the table, eating an apple. She remembered that was his favorite snack as a toddler, he was always a picky eater, but apples were his favorite. She vividly recalled slicing them up in tiny pieces so they were safe for him to eat, even putting peanut butter on them. "Hi honey," she murmured, sitting next to him.

He chewed his food and nodded her way, a smirk on his face. "Afternoon Norma. Where were you?". She stayed silent for a moment, thinking of a good lie. She certainly couldn't tell him that she was at Alex's new home, he would get suspicious. "I was just running some errands. Where is Norman?".

"He's in the basement. I think he said he was pulling or stuffing something, I'm not really sure. He was all excited to work on a dead bird he found the other day".

"Yeah," she sighed, looking down at the floor before settling her eyes on his face, "Yeah, he told me something about that this morning. Is your John still in town?".

Dylan knew he couldn't tell her about John's medical marijuana operation, she would blow her top if he told her that he got an offer to join. "No, he left town yesterday."

She nodded and let a tiny smile fall on her lips. "You know, I'm really happy that everything's out in the open now. It's a good thing that John know's about Caleb."

He stood from his seat, tossed his apple core in the trash, and stood in the kitchen doorway. "Your right, Norma. He had a right to know about my conception". He knew that if he agreed with her, it would avoid any arguments.

She rose as well, quickly going to him before he could leave. "Look Dylan, do you think you could do me a favor? Can you take Norman out somewhere? I'm starting to get really worried. I mean...all he does is sit in that basement and pick apart decaying animal corpses," she explained, checking behind him to make sure Norman was no where to be seen.

She walked back to the table, opening her purse, and taking out $30. Handing the money to Dylan with a smile, she leaned in to kiss his cheek. "He really needs to get away from his dead friends in the basement," she exclaimed with a small laugh.

"Alright, Norma. I'll take him out to a movie and to dinner or something. We'll be back around 9," he said, before heading down to the basement. It was dank and dark, he had no idea how Norman could spend hours on end in there. He found him picking out the intestines of a baby bird, it was almost sad.

"Norman," he began, watching his head pop up, attention off of the dead bird, "Grab your jacket and put that thing away. I'm taking you to a movie."

Norman scoffed kindly, a laugh leaving his throat. "Since when do we spend time together like that?".

"Don't be a smart ass, alright? Just get your stuff and let's go."

**XXX**

An hour and a half later, Norman and Dylan emerged from the cinema. They had seen some movie about a group of guys who wanted to build a futuristic car. After that one, Dylan wished he could get his money and his time back. The pair were walking back to Dylan's truck when Norman's phone chimed, it was just Norma asking when he would be home. As he replied, Dylan's head cocked upwards. He looked across the street and his heart dropped, he immediately felt himself shaking. It was hard to believe, but there stood Caleb, crossing the street.

_What the hell is he doing here? _That was the only question rushing through Dylan's mind. He tightly grabbed Norman's arm and tugged him in the opposite direction. Norman looked up with confusion in his eyes, "Dylan, the truck is back there."

"Yeah, I know. But I wanted to take you to the new ice cream parlor they just opened up. It's only a few blocks away."

Norman nodded and followed his lead. Dylan's mind was still running like crazy, he couldn't just let Caleb come back into their lives. Not after all the damage he caused to Norma. This was not going to end well for any of them, unless Dylan took care of Caleb himself. In that moment, he knew what he had to do.

**XXX**

**A/N: Wow! I haven't updated in a long time and I feel bad...I'm sorry for keeping those of you who are reading wait so long. Anyway, I hope you like the new installment. Review, favorite, and follow if you like what you read and want more. As always, happy reading - MJ123 :) **


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